At Toghill Farm we are blessed with beautiful surrounds and interesting areas of natural beauty. One of those places near us is Westonbirt Arboretum in Tetbury. It is a treasure trove of botanical wonders, with thousands of different specimens and species of tree from all over the world. Visitors to the arboretum come from across the county, and country to see the vast array of rare indigenous and non-native trees.

Brief History

Developed in the last year of King George IV’s reign in 1829 by Robert Stayner Holford, Westonbirt Arboretum is a marvel of horticulture planning. During the Victorian period, Holford became, among other things, a gardening and landscaping enthusiast. His great wealth allowed him to grow Westonbirt Arboretum and rebuild the Georgian mansion Westonbirt House. As the years went on, the arboretum was cared for and extended by Holford’s son, George Lindsay Holford.  Westonbirt Arboretum is owned and managed by Forestry England and has been since 1956.

Westonbirt Arboretum is full of beautiful unique species of plant life, gathered from the farthest reaches of the world. Holford Snr was able to finance great expeditions on quests to find the rarest and extraordinary plants.

An example of some of the exceptional 15,000 trees that can be spotted around the 600 acres of land includes national plant collections, Japanese Maple Cultivars, Maples, Bladdernut, Lime, Walnut. The arboretum also boasts 140 champion trees, which qualify for being the tallest or widest trunk girth. Another category of trees includes signature trees Incense Cedars and Scots Pine, species that have come to perform particular roles in the Westonbirt’s landscape, owing to their size, location or number. The arboretum is also home to around 100 rare and threatened species including Sapphire Dragon Tree and Madeira Mountain Ash. Westonbirt Arboretum has produced a brilliant interactive map that plots each tree for you to find.

Things to do:

April

Nordic Walking – Weekly walking sessions and a chance to socialise other Nordic walkers. Learn more here.

Garden Planning Session – Learn techniques from professional gardeners to keep your garden looking great year round here.

Sensing nature guided walks – Westonbirt have experienced visually impaired guides that will take you on an adventure to shift your perception through your non-visual senses. Read more here.

Wild Westonbirt – This youth programme aims to teach young people more about conservation, wildlife, and bush crafts. Learn more here.

 

May

Botanical Printmaking – Explore Westonbirt while learning everything there is to know about monoprints. Create you own relief and monoprint art from the plants around the site. Learn more.

Wildflower guided walk – Westonbirt is home to various types of wildflowers, and on this walk you’ll learn all there is to know about their uses, traditions, and stories.  Read more here.

Hand tied bouquet workshop – Learn how to display and arrange beautiful flowers. Join experienced florists who will guide you in making the perfect bouquet here.

Nature collage Workshop – Learn to draw simple structures amongst nature in the arboretum and compose still life and landscape scenes. Learn more here.

The ARB Show – From the 17^th to 18^th May 2024, Westonbirt hosts the UK’s best tree care professional event. The arboretum hosts a climbing competition, live demonstrations of new equipment, knotting competition, throwline competition and more! Learn more here.

 

So, if you’re heading down Westonbirt this Spring come and join us for a Spring break at Toghill House Farm, making the most of the beautiful surrounds. We’re happy to help you discover Westonbirt and more. Book your break here!